Dietitian, food lover and passionate cook.
Please note: Due to the COVID-19 government regulations I’ve had to cancel my cooking classes.
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food” George Bernard Shaw
I’m a dietitian, food lover and passionate cook and I’ve always had a deep appreciation for good food — cooking it, eating it and sharing it with others.
I’m an ex-café owner and now work as a dietitian in Sydney. Before COVID, I also ran cooking classes, which I absolutely loved. These days, my work has evolved, but my love of food and my interest in helping people find a simpler, more enjoyable way to eat well are still very much the same.
What I hope to achieve with my books, blog and recipes is to inspire and provide you with practical information to assist you to take charge of your health.
“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” Michael Pollan
That idea has shaped much of what I cook and write about, including my cookbook Veggie-licious, which focuses on simple ways to bring more plant-based foods into everyday meals.
Why? Because if you read any well constructed research (that’s how I put myself to sleep at night) eating a lot of plants is the healthiest way to eat.
And this is not just healthiest for us, but also for our poor, long-suffering planet!
Okay, a little more about me…
My life experience includes:
– running a very busy and successful cafe and catering business for more than 12 years
– studying naturopathy (many many moons ago)
– training as a dietitian at Monash University (one of the top 5 unis in Australia and ranked in the top 50 universities globally) – oh and perhaps another science degree from Monash (I sound like a real geek now!)
– working as a dietitian for more than 15 years
– hypnotherapy training (RTT) with Marisa Peer
– health coach training with IIN (Institute of Integrative Nutrition)
– eating psychology coach training with The Institute for the Psychology of Eating
– life coach training with The Life Coach School – which was a waste of time
– writing for Healthy Food Guide magazine
– many of life’s challenges…
And when I’m not cooking, writing or consulting, I can be found…
– walking our gorgeous groodle
– trying to look graceful and not fall over in yoga
– checking out new restaurants with my lovely husband
– travelling overseas and immersing myself in the culture through doing cooking classes
– or enjoying a champagne (preferably French) whilst socialising with friends!
I used to run a cafe…
When I was young and had too much energy (in my early 20’s- mid 30’s), I ran a very busy and successful cafe and catering business in Melbourne, where I was also head cook. This has influenced the way in which I cook and my business name…. ‘Healthy Home Cafe’!
I used this experience combined with my nutrition education and knowledge to run fun, interesting and informative cooking classes in the Inner West in Sydney using easy, replicable healthy recipes for every day use.
I didn’t so much teach people how to cook (although I have been told that I do provide lots of very practical and helpful tips!), but rather how to quickly and easily prepare delicious, nutritious food and use food as medicine. They were fantastic and very popular classes and I loved inspiring people and showing them just how yummy eating healthily can be. Sadly Covid put an end to that!
Why this website?…
I originally started this as a place to keep track of recipes as I created them. Over time, it’s become something I can share with you as well.
Most of the recipes here are simple, quick to prepare and made with everyday ingredients. Food that fits into real life, not something that requires a complete overhaul to make it work.
More than anything, I hope it makes eating well feel a little easier.
Alongside the recipes, I share practical tips and ideas to help you look after your own health and your family’s, without it needing to feel complicated or overwhelming.
Because eating well doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be simple, enjoyable and something that naturally fits into a busy life.
A little more about me
I genuinely love what I do. I get to talk about food all day with my clients and then spend the rest of my time cooking it, thinking about it, researching it, or planning my next meal (all in a very healthy non-obsessed way I might add!).
Eating well matters to me, not just professionally, but personally. I know I feel and function at my best when I’m well nourished, and that’s something I try to make both realistic and enjoyable.
If you’d like to explore further:
– My consulting practice
– My e-cookbooks
– My book Veggie-licious
– How To Be A Healthy Vegan
